Review: Feynman's Rainbow
Feynman's Rainbow is a short paperback you can find nestled somewhere in the Math and Physics section of your local bookstore chain. However, its thesis aims far from many of the popular science or hard science offerings surrounding it. The book provides unique inside information into what it's like to be a part of one of the top research environments in the world, the Cal Tech. Physics department in the late 80s, which will satisfy many popular science mythology/history fans. However, the question central in Mlodinow's mind is not about the process of science, but the process of living.
Leanard Mlodinow himself is a character in his own book. He's a young post doc whose graduate work has merited a fellowship in this elite environment. His office is next door to Murray Gell-Mann's and just down the hall from Richard Feynman's. It's an environment that many young physicists would dream of, but Mlodinow finds himself unworthy of the opportunity. He feels lost both in life and in his research career, and this state of affairs spurs him to seek collaboration from many in the department. It is in this manner that he first comes too start up a discussion with Richard Feynman which leads to a number of such encounters which Mlodinow is scolded and mentored in a Zen like fashion by Feynman. Many of the encounters themselves were recorded and large passages of direct Feynman quote are one of the unique and valuable aspects of this book.
Overall the book is an easy and entertaining read. Mlodinow balances well descriptions of the technical aspects of work by himself, Feynmann, Gell-Mann, and Schwartz on a number of topics at a popular level, with stories of long nights smoking weed with his neighbor and close friend the garbage man. He just as freely discusses Gell-Mann's fractional partical attributes as his balls... Yes, his balls. This freedom of narrative leads to a read that is humorous, interesting, and not lacking in depth. I recommend the book for anyone open to something a little softer and soul searching than the average popular science book